We have: 6 small dogs 1 llama 1 horse 2 miniature donkeys 1 dwarf goat 1 bunny A bunch of bantam chickens A bunch of regular size chickens Lots of gold fish in horse troughs

Ahhh.... I want this to be my happy ending... My DD16 had a really rough year last year. Her depression took 4+ months to get under control. I'm just thankful homeschooling is an option, because honestly, if I had to leave her in high school, she'd be dead. She completed an economics community college class last year, but I really don't push her with high school stuff. I guess I'm letting her be an unschooled highschooler? She reads constantly, I actually have complained about her reading for years because she reads too much! This kids never watches TV, she prefers to read. She definitely want's to get her AA, so she is motivated, but I'm not going to push her. She's a great kid, I couldn't ask for better, and I considered myself blessed. I think for some kids high school is a waste of time, my DD is using that time to peruse her own interests. We were just looking at the 4 credit math requirement for some colleges, and she told me, "Well, I tried Algebra 3 times, does that count mom?" LOL

I had two root canals at the beginning of the year. I get really nervous going to the dentist and my dentist knows it. He gave me a RX (Valium) to calm my nerves, and it really worked. I was at the dentist again yesterday (getting a filling), and while I was nervous, it really wasn't a big deal. I just tell myself I HAVE to go, it's not an option. My root canals didn't hurt at all, not even the next day.

I do the same.

Same here! I hated my maiden name and was so happy to dump it.

Apples & Pears helped with my DS's spelling and reading.

:grouphug::grouphug: I started homeschooling my DS last year when he was 11. He had been labeled by this public school as being "Speech Impaired" and "Severely Dyslexic". At the end of 4th grade he could read only nine words, and he had been in special education with an IEP for six years! What got my boy reading was to start at the beginning (kindergarten stuff). Start with the sounds letters make. I would introduce a new sound only after he had mastered the sounds he had been working on. This took a L-O-N-G time for him to get them all down. Once he got all the letters down, we started doing Dancing Bears. In retrospect, I should have had him do both Bear Necessities books, which are the industrial strength version of Dancing Bears. I also did his letter flash cards with him everyday. I found that if he had more than a two or three day break, he would regress. He finished Dancing Bears and the second book of Bear Necessities (I had him do them both at the same time, he really needed that much practice), I tried to move him into the second book of Dancing Bears, but I found it was moving too fast for him. I ended up switching to Pathway Readers, just to build his fluency and for more practice, which he really can't get enough of (although he would disagree). He's completed Pathway Readers: First Steps, Days Go By, and More Days Go By. He does one chapter a day. I have him doing the workbooks with the readers, there's some phonics practice in the workbooks. I also have him doing Climbing to Good English 1, which goes with the Pathway Readers, and had phonics practice in it. He'll be starting the Pathway Reader, Busy Times, next week. I couldn't be more pleased with his progress. For phonics overkill, I also have him doing Plaid Phonics B workbook. When he was in public school I actually wondered if he'd ever learn to read. :001_unsure: In one year of homeschooling we've accomplished what six years of public school couldn't do, we got him reading. As far as your DS not wanting to work with you, I thinks it's just a matter of finding his currency. For my DS, I set up a prize box with things I knew he'd like. He gets a star everyday he has a good day. I give him an extra star if he wants to do extra work. There are things in his prize box that will take a week to get and things that will take eight months to get. Right now there is a video game in there, and it's driving him crazy. He earned eight extra stars last week doing extra work because he wants the video game so badly. For my DS, I also use video games and tv as a bribe. If he's not listening or is being difficult, I tell him he'd better straighten up or else he's not going to be able to watch tv or play his ipod. He normally straightens right up.

Awesome!!!

That's what I'm thinking! LOL, I think it's funny. If I heard someone say that I would laugh.

Last year was our first year homeschooling and went with this PSP. No testing or meetings are required. This year I'm going to file a PSA to save money. :)

:iagree::iagree:

:iagree: My severely dyslexic DS12 was in public school for six years with an IEP and could read only nine words! I pulled him from public school, figuring I couldn't do a worse job than they were doing. We are now 11 months into homeschooling and he's reading at a beginning 3rd grade level. I know if I had left him in school he would be illiterate. Dancing Bears (in retrospect I should have put him in the industrial strength Bear Necessities) got my boy reading, which is something his public school couldn't do. I highly recommend Dancing Bears and Bear necessities (for kids that need tons of practice).

I would reschedule. Your DD is only 12, and on her period. I know I was too scared to try tampons until I was 16 or so. We are boaters and we won't take the boat on the lake if one of my girls are on their periods.

This sounds like a Lifetime movie ... I think it's very creepy.

My mom's neighbor has a blind diabetic chihuahua. The dog gets around like a normal dog. I didn't even realize it was blind. :001_huh: ETA: When I was picking up one of my dogs from the groomer, we met the cutest, nicest dog. The owner told me the dog was blind. I really had no idea, the dog was so friendly and happy.

Two older women did this to me at our house before. The actually pulled into our driveway and were taking pictures. I went out to ask them what was going on (we live in the country). They told me their father had built our house and then they commented on how much work we had done to the place. We doubled the size of the house, and have planted lots of trees.

We spend between $250 and $300 a week for groceries. We fall in-between Low and Moderate. I think we spend too much.

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

I would get rid of the things I don't use. I would not throw out or donate perfectly good things. I'd rather have money in the bank.:thumbup:

I would choose either TN or FL because those states have no state income tax.

Lunch? My DD is making us bean tostadas. Going anywhere today? I have to go pick up my other daughter from high school. What's special about today? I got a dentist appointment for tomorrow. I thought I had two cavities, but the receptionist at the dentist office told me I have eight. :eek:

We had two suburban's with electrical problems like you describe. We had an extended warranty on one of them, but it was worthless. The dealer wouldn't replace anything unless they knew it was bad. Our solution was to trade the vehicle off. I was VERY worried our Suburban wouldn't start for the dealer's test drive, but we lucked out. I did a quick Google search and there was a recall of the electrical system wiring.

:iagree::iagree:

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

I have four kids, and only one ever went to the ER for a fever. My oldest had two febrile seizures, once with her baby sitter. DD ended up going to hospital in an ambulance (the babysitter had had a baby die of SIDS while in her care). The other time DD was with me in the car. I ended up taking her to the ER. My step brother (I was told) ran a high temp as toddler, and had brain damage from it. He functions at a 5 year old level. According to WebMD: ETA: I had my DD #3 who is 15, in the ER on Sept. 15th (she went temp blind and then passed out, she was out of it for a good 30 minutes. The EKG showed something weird and she is getting testing at Stanford Children's Hospital the week of Oct 7th). So far we only have the Doctor's bill, which was $11,000+. We owe $1,218. We pay $1,500 a month of health insurance. Ouch....